Left 4 Dead is meant to be played with a headset, but if you're feeling antisocial, the game does a decent job of communicating for you through the characters. You'll probably get tired of hearing your Survivor bark "Reloading!" every 10 seconds or so, but it's by far the most aggravating example of presenting vital gameplay information without relying on a cluttered HUD. Run low on health, and you move more slowly and develop a pained, shuffling gait. Grab a first-aid kit, and your character slings it over his (or her) back for your teammates to see. Walk past a supply or ammunition cache, and your character will call out to his (or her) teammates to share the wealth.
But the game's cooperative experience is just as notable for what it lacks: namely, meaningful competition between players. Sure, the game tracks stats like headshots and total damage taken that display during the loading screens between rounds, but they're only useful for bragging rights - you won't ever make it that far if you're only concerned with your own performance. More importantly, all weapons and ammunition are shared between players; you'll never get stuck with a pistol while your teammate mows through waves of undead with a full-auto shotgun. And while health buffs like pain pills and first-aid kits aren't communal, it's incredibly easy (and satisfying) to share them with your wounded comrades.
It's ironic that Left 4 Dead styles its four campaigns after feature-length films, because, save for the climactic rescue scenarios from each locale, there's nothing particularly cinematic about Valve's storytelling here. The game opens with its sole cut scene, and it tells you everything you need to know about the world you're about to inhabit. Four Survivors? Check. Six types of Infected? Check. Zombies attracted to sound? Check. Have at it.
The lack of backstory will likely rub some the wrong way, but it's clear Valve trusts its design decisions to communicate more about the characters than grandiose speeches or tearful conversations about who the Survivors left behind. It's the same less-is-more approach to narrative as last year's Portal, and it works just as well here.
If there's one criticism you could levy against Left 4 Dead, it's that the environments, while perfectly suited to this style of gameplay, will occasionally be little too familiar to those who have played previous Valve titles. At times, it feels as if the infected boroughs in Left 4 Dead are pretty much City 17 with the lights out. Thankfully, you have a steady supply of flashlight batteries this time around.
Left 4 Dead isn't simply one of the most subtly innovative shooters to come out in years; it's perhaps the best example yet of the instructive power of videogames as a medium. It will have you huddling so close to your fellow Survivors you'll forget they're likely piloted by a bunch of foul-mouthed pre-teen misfits. Any game that can get stereotypical Xbox players communicating and collaborating deserves more than just rave reviews - it deserves the Nobel f**king Peace Prize.
Bottom line: Valve has created the first game truly worthy of the word "cooperative," and - no surprise here - it's fun as hell.
Recommendation: If your gaming rig is up to the task, grab it on Steam for mouse and keyboard support and a (slightly) more mature community. Otherwise, pick it up for the Xbox 360. If you're stuck with a PS3, hop into LittleBigPlanet with three of your friends, throw on some zombie costumes and make the best with what you've got.
Jordan Deam is reloading.
